BERLIN — Public fury over the sexual assault of dozens of women in Cologne on New Year’s Eve exploded into a political crisis for Angela Merkel following reports Thursday that asylum seekers were among the attackers.

Outrage over the attacks, including two alleged rapes, has been building all week but reached fever pitch after a police report describing the events revealed that asylum seekers were among the perpetrators. Authorities said previously they had no indication those behind the assaults were refugees, describing the suspects as “North African.”

“During identity checks, the vast majority could only provide their asylum-seeker registration papers,” an excerpt of the report published by Die Welt said. The paper quoted an officer who claimed the majority of the roughly 80 individuals checked were of Syrian origin. The head of federal police union confirmed in an interview with German television late Thursday that refugees were involved.

The revelations are a setback for the German leader. Merkel succeeded in restoring a degree of confidence in her controversial migration policies in December by presenting a strategy aimed at stemming the flow of refugees and devoting more resources to integrating the more than 1 million who arrived in 2015.

The Cologne attacks, coupled with fresh evidence that the influx of new arrivals has not slowed, has put her back on the defensive.

Losing the center

The biggest danger to Merkel isn’t from the far-right, which will use the attacks to hammer its anti-immigration message, but from the center. Throughout the refugee crisis, Merkel has retained the solid backing of centrist voters. The assaults, which have inflamed passions even among moderates, could change that.

“Women who are on the street at 1 a.m. or 1:30 a.m. are considered whores and German women are generally considered open game” — Social Democrat Heinz Buschkowski

For many Germans, the events in Cologne have confirmed suspicions that men from the Middle East do not respect the independence and freedom that Western women enjoy.

“They have a completely different view of women than we do here,” Heinz Buschkowski, a prominent Social Democrat and expert on Germany’s Muslim population, told German radio Thursday. “Women who are on the street at 1 a.m. or 1:30 a.m. are considered whores and German women are generally considered fair game.”

Such views, which evoke old stereotypes of dark-skinned men out to prey on white women, have mainly been shared behind closed doors in recent months as Germans embraced the Willkommenskultur. The Cologne attacks have brought the concerns into the open.

On Wednesday, Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière was asked at a news conference whether he was “concerned about the view of women among migrants.”

De Maizière dodged the question, saying it was essential that the refugees “recognize our system of values,” including the equality between men and women.

The minster, who oversees the federal police but not local forces, was caught off-guard by the attacks. He criticized the local police for not doing more to respond.

Over the past few days, a parade of senior government officials has called for stricter measures to deal with such violence, including deporting the perpetrators.

“We need to look at whether we have done everything that is necessary in terms of necessitating departures in order to send a clear signal to those who aren’t willing to follow our laws,” Merkel said Thursday.

Yet the demands for quick deportations appear unrealistic. German law makes it difficult to deport criminal asylum seekers, especially if they could face retribution in their home countries. Regarding the Cologne attacks, several police officials said it would likely be impossible to positively identify those responsible due to the large number of people at the scene.

With such a large population of refugees, many of whom are young men, authorities warn that further assaults are inevitable.

Earlier this week the mayor of Cologne, herself the victim of a brutal stabbing attack last year over her support of refugees, urged women to maintain an “arm’s length distance” from men in crowds. She was widely ridiculed for the suggestion.

What has shocked many in the country is the location of the attacks. Cologne is considered one of the most open and liberal cities in Germany.

On Thursday, German authorities disclosed details of another alleged rape on New Year’s Eve involving Syrian refugees. Two teenage girls, aged 14 and 15, told police they were repeatedly raped by a group of four Syrians in the south of the country.

Such cases could lead to further violence against refugees. Earlier this week unknown assailants fired shots into a shelter near Frankfurt, injuring one refugee. Arsonists attacked hundreds of shelters last year.

The German public, meanwhile, is getting nervous. Nearly 40 percent of German women plan to avoid large public gatherings, according to a poll released Thursday by public broadcaster ARD.

Attack on liberal heartland

What has shocked many in the country is the location of the attacks. Cologne is considered one of the most open and liberal cities in Germany. Its annual carnival celebrations, which get under way in just a few weeks, draw thousands of revelers to the city.

That the mass attacks could have occurred in front of the city’s main landmark — its nearly seven-century-old gothic cathedral — is unthinkable to many.

Cologne’s “way of life is in danger,” the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine warned on its front page Thursday.

The police report on the Cologne attacks, which was written by a senior official at the scene, describes a chaotic situation in which the officers found themselves outnumbered by “several thousand men.” Police were largely powerless to protect the women, who were forced to navigate an “obstacle course through a mass of severely drunk men that is beyond description.”

Though the police questioned dozens of suspects, they made only a handful of arrests, none of which were connected to the sexual assaults. Witnesses reported that some of the assailants shouted “f**k the police” and spat at officers.

In the report, one suspect is quoted as saying: “I’m Syrian, you have to treat me nicely. Frau Merkel invited me.”

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Veritas-Semeper

Tremble, of Germany, your Frau Merkel has made a fine mess of Europe and it is the silent electorate (why were you silent and accepting of the multi-kulti ways??) which will pay the price for Frau Merkel.

This is the way of the future. Why? Because the “welcomed guests” are guests and can do anything they please… per Frau Merkel’s open invitation…

Posted on 1/7/16 | 11:30 PM CET

Veritas-Semper bis

One final reflection… females, just listen to another frau, Frau Reke. She is absolutely right: accept your fate, stay one arm’s length away from any “welcomed guest”, and preferably… wear a burka…

And if/when any “welcomed guest” decides to have his way, just explain to him that that is not the way in Germany, I’m sure he will listen to you…

Posted on 1/7/16 | 11:43 PM CET

Angela Burka

Germany became a 3d world country.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 1:12 AM CET

Peter

Your politicians have led you down the proverbial garden path. They have consistently lied to you. The mainstream media has consistently hidden the truth. Welcome to your future, Europe.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 1:37 AM CET

juvenis

I have reached the astonishing ans shocking conclusion that the German Government has absolutely no clue of what is going on !

Posted on 1/8/16 | 3:21 AM CET

Dancing on boches' grave

Duh!? But…but….your culture is so much enriched by “refusees” “culture”. There must be a lot truth in those jokes about 6 euro haircuts for Germans: 1 euro per head side. Pretty soon you will be a nation of shepherds and farmers as Churchill planned. You had a lot of luck twice, but 3 times make the trick. The Europe will fence you and rejoice life without stupid and arrogant Germans once and for all.

Considerable pressure must be mounted on Merkel to resign. She probably wanted to get the Nobel Peace Prize or something similar. Germans need to unite not only to unseat this stupid woman who is hell-bent on ruining Germany and Europe but to deport en masse these brutes who have entered Europe.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 8:34 AM CET

Johann M. Wolff

It was obvious that this will happen, and is just the first battle in the clash of civilizations. Merkel allowed 1.1 million people Germany, unchecked, from a completely different culture sphere where not just that women have the same status as domestic animals,
but physical fights are the norm to defend one’s opinion or self-perceived offence.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 9:35 AM CET

Groundskeeper Willie

When will we start to refer about Germany as a failed state? And what else is yet possibly needed to bring Germans to streets? I would never imagine such an absurdly embarassing end to such a talented nation. Greetings to Sweden as well. And a hint to those wishing this fate to Germans for supporting actively or passively Merkel´s policies: take into consideration that this cancer won´t stop on german borders.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 9:41 AM CET

pexi

It’s seems to be a huge problem. Not only Cologne is concerned other German cities were in the same situation, Hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf.

And other countries either Finland, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden…

Happy new Year Ms Merkel

Posted on 1/8/16 | 10:16 AM CET

ema

The Western way of life is over for women. It is good perhaps for our democracy in the long turn because everybody will see how irrational is to believe in multiculturalism with Muslims. It has not worked anywhere, even in those countries with the long tradition of Muslim immigrants (France). The Europeans do not want their culture is broke down because of islam. And this is the threat that the elite does not see right now but these events confirm the argument. Even worse is to come. The economic reasons to accept those people is not enough. Society and the people should decide on that not the politicians and Business people!

Posted on 1/8/16 | 10:44 AM CET

Alan

Given the way ‘Merkel’s Marauders’ were allowed to process across Europe like an invading army why on earth is anyone surprised at any of this? When immigrant numbers are controlled there is more chance of them integrating into the host communities. When immigration is uncontrolled & unlimited they will form parallel societies retaining their own language, culture & traditions, religion etc. You now risk the emergence of a parallel society of young, unaccompanied male migrants with traditional Islamic attitudes towards the relative positions of men & women in society. Many of these young males will I suspect turn out to be unemployable in the short and medium terms.
The prospects of ‘reallocating’ refugees which were never good are now non-existent, especially for young males who seem to make up the bulk of refugees/migrants.
Both Schengen passport-free travel and freedom of movement are now under serious threat & when the Dutch Presidency of the EU says migrant numbers must come down the writing is on the wall.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 11:52 AM CET

Mo

I love Europe and Germany has been a joy to visit. This is a “fine-mess” as the commenter below says. I continue to be amazed at the role of the mainstream media in this entire debaucle. For example, people who were present at this riot have stated overwhelmingly that the people who engaged in this riot and mass assault on women were clearly Arab. How many were refugees and how many were Germans is not known. These are facts. These facts do not mean that people “evoke old stereotypes of dark-skinned men out to prey on white women” as the above article states. If this were a group of one to two thousand white men, people’s response would have been of similar outrage. It is time to start telling the truth in the media.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 4:12 PM CET

flemming

I just read in a Danish broadsheet about the conditions in Düsseldorf, 30 mi north of Cologne. Obviously there the criminal scene of dancing thieves is sprawling with new arrivals from the Magreb nations. No residence permit is needed for the newly arrived illegal migrants. The facades of catering businesses near Düsseldorf Mainstation for the tip of the iceberg behind which these criminal enterprises flourish and the new arrivals following the refugees’ well-trodden path can immediatly make a fast buck selling nacrotics and engaging in muggery.

When someone is caught, a sentence of 1 week youth arrest is the most likely scenario as the most recent judgement in Cologne makes us believe. The entire justice system in Germany is iffy to say the least and if this does not change the judges might as well become the victim of those crimals they just let off.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 4:21 PM CET

red

The German media were obviously to busy fighting for allegedly endangered freedom of media in Poland so they virtually had no time to rapport about Frauenjagd (woment-hunt) exercised by the Arabic gangs in their own cities.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 4:21 PM CET

flemming

I just read in a Danish broadsheet about the conditions in Düsseldorf, 30 mi north of Cologne. Obviously there the criminal scene of dancing thieves is sprawling with new arrivals from the Magreb nations. No residence permit is needed for the newly arrived illegal migrants. The facades of catering businesses near Düsseldorf Mainstation form the tip of the iceberg beneath which these criminal enterprises flourish and the new arrivals following the refugees’ well-trodden path fill immediately the rangs. Those new illegal arrivals can immediatly make a fast buck selling nacrotics and engaging in muggery without being on the radar of the German authorities.

When someone is caught, a sentence of 1 week youth arrest is the most likely scenario as the most recent judgement in Cologne makes us believe. The entire justice system in Germany is iffy to say the least and if this does not change the judges might as well become the victim of those crimals they just let off.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 4:24 PM CET

flemming

I just read in a Danish broadsheet about the conditions in Düsseldorf, 30 mi north of Cologne. Obviously there the criminal scene of dancing thieves is sprawling with new arrivals from the Magreb nations. No residence permit is needed for the newly arrived illegal migrants. The facades of catering businesses near Düsseldorf Mainstation form the tip of the iceberg beneath which these criminal enterprises flourish and the new arrivals following the refugees’ well-trodden path fill immediately the ranks. Those new illegal arrivals can immediatly make a fast buck selling nacrotics and engaging in muggery without being on the radar of the German authorities.

When someone is caught, a sentence of 1 week youth arrest is the most likely scenario as the most recent judgement in Cologne makes us believe. The entire justice system in Germany is iffy to say the least and if this does not change the judges might as well become the victim of those criminals they just let off.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 4:28 PM CET

Angela Burqa

@ Groundskeeper Willie

“… to such a talented nation”

Oh, yeah, talented they are. This is already the third time they are showing their undeniable talent for continental destruction. No such other country in Europe.

“And a hint to those wishing this fate to Germans for supporting actively or passively Merkel´s policies: take into consideration that this cancer won´t stop on german borders.”

Oh, it will, no worries. There is enough of sober countries in Europe already starting with V4. Some will get pretty sober looking at the German pandemonium playing out – France, the UK – it is not too late for them – yet. Then they will corral Germany and its likes (yep, greetings for Sweden, too). Obviously it’s better not too have such cancer on the European body, but fortunately this is not a malicious cancer. It can be isolated and later pacified. Germany, do not have nukes so no one needs to worry about Pakistan in the middle of Europe. The Bundeswehr is weak and it would be even way weaker with the “New German” “military pros” and draftees considering their organizational and other “talents” and willingness to fight. After all it is just a bunch of thugs, undisciplined crowd of “refusees”. We will contain them and then recycle and disinfect German and Swedish territories. Again, it would be much better if Germans and Swedes get a grip on themselves – after they have not always been manginas. Then Europe would not have to jump through all the hoops to restore normality. I guess, the Serbs could show us a lot of expertise in the cleaning chores.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 6:58 PM CET

TonyV

Viewing this from outside Germany is very strange, there are complaints that the police did next to nothing, but on the other hand, had the police gone in hard, and sorted the problem, they would have been accused of racism and of being fascist by the msm, well you cannot have it both ways Germany, you can have security or you can have anarchy.

Posted on 1/8/16 | 9:24 PM CET

Roland

Well he is not wrong in stating that Mrs Merkel invited him so she should open up her legs. I hope Germans learn something from this. But it will probably require many more rapes violence and terror before someone in Berlin starts to get it and formulate a sustainable asylum and migration policy. So far all we are getting is declarations that the ones caught raping will be deported. I would surely hope so. But it’s too late once they committed the crime you need to prevent them happening in the first place.

When will the Germans demand Merkel to quit? Are they waiting for Germany to become a Lebanon or Syria?

Posted on 1/9/16 | 7:22 AM CET

Peter Greinemann

They conider us weak and stupid. Unfortunately they are right. Europe will go the same way Rome did.

Posted on 1/9/16 | 10:05 AM CET

Ben

its so clear its for make pressure on merkel government, its not fair, please find realy weakness , now , we must consider on relationships whit USA and israel maket better , for help industrial problem and more growth.

Posted on 1/9/16 | 2:24 PM CET

Jay

@ Ben
Who gives a f… about economy and industry when his family is in danger? What strikes me the most is that feminist movements still defend these.. animals, complete madness and simplicity.

Posted on 1/9/16 | 5:43 PM CET

Kenneth

The best case scenario in this situation is that Frau Merkel pays for her immense, irrevocable blunder with her life.

Then, the person who “invited” the refugees would no longer exist and Arabs would have less of a reason to bring their disgusting culture and demented religion into the West.

Posted on 1/9/16 | 10:16 PM CET

Johann M. Wolff

“Frau Merkel invited me”

That’s true, but unfortunately the consequences (both social and financial) are supported by us, taxpayers witha net contribution to the state and not by Ms. Merkel or the “Welcome” team (mostly “artists” “journalists” and very creative unemployed or students studying on taxpayers money).

Posted on 1/10/16 | 12:16 AM CET

Larry Darrell

The only solution is to build a reverse-Berlin wall around the Reich so that Merkel cannot unleash Merkel’s Monsters on the rest of Europe. She has admitted over 1 million rapefugees into the Reich, nothing but a wall can save us from that calamity.

Posted on 1/10/16 | 12:31 AM CET

Nuschka

PLEASE support us Germans who are demanding the resignation of Merkel. “PET…TION RÜCKTRITT MERKEL” can also be signed and commented by non-Germans. Her lunatic open-borders-policy not only concerns Germany, but the rest of Europe, and even the entire world, as well. Germany is on the brink of civil war.

Just wait for the 3 year period to expire after which the migrants can move wherever they want to within Europe! Exactly like the fall of the Roman empire where the arrogance of Rome inflicted mortal wounds upon its own existence

Posted on 1/10/16 | 6:37 PM CET

Covah

How many Cuban refugees, fleeing communism for “freedom”, were criminals? How many Vietnamese boat people? Jews fleeing Hitler? How about Germans themselves who commit the same crimes?

There will always be a few criminals in any group. It is convenient for racists to single out the few to brand the many.

Posted on 1/10/16 | 7:27 PM CET

Bob H

Yes

Posted on 1/10/16 | 7:38 PM CET

Jorge

When I read the comments I find them appalling, reviving the worst of Europe’s past. Finally, one making some sense, Covah is more than right. While I do consider that crime requires punishment, I also consider fundamental the rule that a crime is committed by an individual and the law is equal for all, not by a race or any religious group. What now? Stitch half-moons on their clothes? I severely dislike religious fundamentalism of any kind, I do not like the way it tries to intimidate our societies and erodes our civic freedoms, and the violence from it. Still, for as many fanatics as there may be they are still a fraction of the total. Also, the threat they pose is for me no worse than the crimes that nationalistic supremacists propose. There are posts hinting very clearly at ethnic cleansing, which is by the way unlawful, an incitement to violence and disgraceful. Most of the posts are leading to another fanatism and fundamentalism, not making anything better. I also want to ask, who destabilised the whole Middle East in the last years that triggered what we see now? I agree, most should be going the the US, then UK where the worst started…. with a lie.

Posted on 1/11/16 | 12:15 AM CET

TM

“What has shocked many in the country is the location of the attacks. Cologne is considered one of the most open and liberal cities in Germany.”

That sentence makes no sense. It is precisely that in the most open and most liberal of cities such things would happen. Just because the locals are liberals does not turn the immigrants into liberals, but it weakens the defense mechanism.

Posted on 1/11/16 | 9:11 AM CET

not left

Well, “dancing on boches etc., if you’re French, I’d say you’ll be digging your own graves first. Calais should make that clear. (Terrible English, by the way. More work there, and fewer inane comments here, and you’ll go much further.)

“How many Vietnamese boat people? Jews fleeing Hitler? ” Which is a profoundly different issue. Did the Jewish inhabitants have a state that could grant refuge from the shoa for them? What about the Vietnamese? They were allied of the USA and thus with persecuted by the Communist Vietnamese government. With the Cubans is was the same. But the current exodus is not comparable, because those people who seek refuge in Europe, are those ones who have ruined their very own nations, which neither the Cubans nor the Vietnamese have done. Let alone the Jewish people, whose mention in this context is an insult, because they were subjected to a sophisticated killing industry from where there was no escape. Apart the Jews did not form the majority in any of the states where they resided before the Germans closed in on them and murdered them. Syrians are the majority in Syria, obviously and they are intend to wreck their own nation . Today they have their own home and Germany’s left is intend on destroying this home state. The Germans should first take a look at their own turf and their very own bodged history, i.e. the Shoa, which as I have the impression is currently being revived. The Germans once more have lost their bearings and moral responsibility.

It is clear why there is such a great love affair between the Syrians and the Germans…

Posted on 1/12/16 | 12:58 PM CET

Petrus Gaius

Healthy and virile men should fight for their countries, instead of seeking the easy way out on european welfare, whilst targeting european women. Send those cowards back to fight in the Middle East, so they can prove their manhood there.

Posted on 1/18/16 | 12:58 AM CET

John

flemming
I’m a German and I think it is time to put the Nazi era where it belongs, into the past. I was not born yet when this took place and have no relation to those events. To imply blame on me would be like blaming you for the Colonial wars where your ancestors killed far more natives then the Nazis ever could, or to blame you for your Government at the time to have been in collusion with the East India Company that turned millions of Chinese into opium addicts
I think it is time to look at today and what your Government and mine are doing to our countries today. I lived in the UK a long time and I love the country as it was, not as it is today.
The EU with its fat politicians feeding at the tax money you and me pay has to be changed back into what it originally was mend to be, a free trade zone, before self-serving Eurocrats turned it into the total disaster it is today.
Political Correctness has to be banished and this immigration madness stopped. Those Muslim Barbarians have to be send back where they came from. England does not belong to them nor does any other country in Europe. They want the middle-ages, let them have them, but in their own countries.
Anyone wanting to come to a European country has to obey the law of the land. Anyone borne in a European country must have his citizenship removed and be deported if they incite hatred against the existing system and want to bring in Sharia.
This will not be easy though, the current politicians are simply not capable of seeing things the way they are or have not enough backbone to do something about it. I always said, “Yes Minister” as funny as it is, was in fact a documentary.